United in Pain
by gemsofformenos
Summary: Azula couldn't resist an invitation like this. Zuko has taken so much efforts to fake a whole riot to get her attention, so she decided to visit her dear brother. - Alternate AU - Plays after The Search; Smoke and Shadow didn't happen. Warning! Major character death!


**Hello everybody. This is a**** different take for a family reunion. ! Warning ! It'll be a bitter one. Major Character Death!**

**Still I wish a lot of fun with this One-Shot.**

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**United in Pain**

It was this well known feeling, which was crawling up and down Azula's spine. It was always the same when she was about to talk to Zuko. A mixture of excitement, a pinch of pity and a kind of certainty, that she would have the last word, no matter how hard Zuko would try to change this fact. But there was also this other feeling deep down in her. A warm tickle and a little sting at the same time, something which was always trying to shake her walls, which was making her feel weak and vulnerable. Azula hated this part and she hated it even more that she loved it deep down in her. She loved it how this tickle was getting stronger, when Zuko was observing her, trying to figure out her plans, when he used different schemes to pierce her guards or when he tried the most funniest thing Azula could think of... when he tried to intimidate her.

Azula rushed through the old halls of the Palace with absolute silence, using every shadow, every hide to avoid the guards patrolling through the halls. This place had never been a home for her, still she knew almost ever inch of it blindfolded. Dear Zuzu had given her an impressive invitation and none of these stupid guards would stop her from seeing her brother. She got closer to the throne room and used the private hidden ways of the Fire Lord to enter it unseen. She smiled a little at the idea, that these ways were reserved for her brother. Zuko never seemed to have understood the options these ways could offer. It allowed to appear and disappear in silence and unseen. It would have been a way to create a mystery, but her brother was focused on other things. Always her naive little Zuzu.

A dim fire was burning, painting the wide room in gloomy colors. The deep red flicker let long shadows dancing on the floor and on the walls. Like a mirage these dark forms were not alive and still there seemed to have their own will. But this was only an illusion. They were servants, following the will of the fire.  
Azula took a deep breath, focusing on the warmth of the flames within the room. And she was blessed with ability to make the flame her servant as well, to let the fire bow to her very own will. She waited in the shadows for some time. Something was different today, the flames were burning lower and the quiet was heavier than it should be. But of course it would be so. She hadn't expected anything else.

Azula checked the wide hall carefully, but no guard was within the room. The only figure she could recognize was the Fire Lord sitting on his throne. Zuko's face was hidden behind the deep shadows. It brought a smirk to Azula's face. Finally her brother started to see the advantages of creating an intimidating presence, too bad for him, that he had send her an invitation.

„That was quiet of an invitation, dear brother."

Azula wasn't hiding her slight amusement as she left the cover of the shadows to walk towards the throne. Zuko didn't make a sound or move, he just seem to observe his sister walking towards the stairs, while she was stretching her arms. She knew he wouldn't call the guards. Not yet. Not before he had done another pathetic try to convince her of his noble reasons and ideas.

„I knew you would try to lure me out of my hide, you're always so impatient Zuzu, but I have to admit that this kind of ruckus was real drama, even for you."

The mocking amusement didn't coax a reaction out of the Fire Lord, which caused a little frown at Azula. Her brother observed the hall like a stature, face hidden in deepest shadow. Azula caught herself, that a shiver was rushing down her spine. She bit her lip, cause for a brief moment, she could see how much he could look like Ozai and this fact was reaching parts in her soul, which haven't healed. But Azula wouldn't give Zuko the triumph to notice this little victory of him. She set up a smug smile, coming closer to the wall of fire, which parted the Fire Lord and his throne from the rest of the wide room.

„Finally. It seems that some of fathers lessons have rubbed off on you in the end. Wise decision, brother."

The heavy silence started to hurt in Azula's ears. The low burning fire was making the only sound within the wide throne room and it let the uneasy feeling grow in her guts. This was so unlike her dear brother. Azula had expected an outburst, a sulky comment, maybe some whining or an annoyed groan. At least she had expected, that Zuko would turn away or something, but he was sitting like a stature in the shadow. The fallen Princess started to getting impatient. She crossed her arms before her chest and gave her brother on the throne an angry glare.

„The quiet intimidating Fire Lord is a role, which doesn't suit you Zuzu. At least not when dealing with me. Why not doing a favor to yourself and better skip this little game you cannot win. I don't mind humiliating you, dear brother, but we both know, that my time here runs short, so just tell me, why you faked a whole riot only to get me here?"

The remaining quiet was like a hard slap at Azula's face. Zuko remained silent, unmoved like made of stone behind the wall of fire, hidden in dancing shadows, mocking his sister with this frustrating behavior. The uneasy feeling in her stomach increased and she hated it. She hated it with every inch of her body... and so rage took over.

„ANSWER ME!"

The flames in the room jumped up high, switching color from dark orange into a blazing blue, finally revealing Zuko's face. Azula's eyes jumped wide. She froze on spot, while the fire got down to the former level, covering the Fire Lord with shadows again, but the Princess could feel her stomach cramp in fear and pain. She started to tremble and so her voice, choked by a heavy weight on her chest.

„Zuko...? Answer me...?"

Azula felt her legs moving, but it was more puppet like. She passed the flames to get closer to her brother, but it was fear, which was make her moving. Fear and a hopeless wish, she would find another truth up there.

„Zuko...? Zuzu..."

She reached the throne and felt the shock clawing her with sharp iron fangs. Azula's hand was shaking badly as she moved it up to her brothers face.

It touched a hard death mask, which was covering Zuko's face. His body was sitting in finest white robes on the throne, waiting for the family and the nobles to receive the last honors, before they would carry the throne out of the room with him on it to the central square of Caldera City giving the grieving people of the Fire Nation their last chance to honor him.

Tears wear running down Azula's cheeks in wide streams as she removed the mask with trembling hands. It had to be a scheme. A trick to get her attention. All these lies about a riot, the escape of Ozai and an terrible attack on the Fire Lord.  
A hard sob escaped her lips as she watched at the burned and beaten pale face of her brother. His skin felt so cold at her touch, while she was carefully brushing over his burned cheek.

„Zuzu... please. Don't... Zuzu, answer me. Please..."

But the dead Fire Lord stayed quiet... and so it was only a mourning cry to be heard in the lonely throne room.

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The guards haven't dared to touch her or to arrest her as they have stormed the throne room at her cry. They have just stopped and now they were waiting in distance, leaving Azula weeping and grieving on the floor with the cold body of her brother in her arms. The Firebender was stroking Zuko's hair and kissing his burned cheeks and forehead over and over again between her wrecking sobs as if this loving touch would bring him back to her, but after a while she simply clawed herself in his robes, pressing his dead body against her as she weeped out her grief and desperation.

Azula didn't care about the people all around her. All she was focused on now was her grief, which was wrenching her heart with brutal force. A gentle touch at her cheek let her suddenly snap out of her mourning and she grabbed at a wrist with a fast move to stop the hand from touching her or her dear Zuzu. She heard a sharp hiss from behind, but the hand remained there, enduring the pain Azula's touch was causing. The former Princess noticed, that her nails were pressed in fresh dressings and the pressure of her grip started to force new lymph through the fabric, still the person behind her didn't start a try to retreat.

„Azula..."

It was a tear-soaked voice. A voice Azula knew all to well, but this time it wasn't causing rage or loathing, only bitterness.

„You alwasy protected him. Why not this time."

Azula dared to look over her shoulder, facing the person behind her.

„Why haven't you..."

The words died in her throat as she faced her beaten mother. Ursa was covered with dressings and burning marks, which told Azula the story of a fight for her bare life. And for the life of her son as well. Tears were filling the red cried eyes of Ursa and she was biting her quivering lip in shame. Azula released her grip from her mother's injured wrist and a little shock must have rushed over her face, cause Ursa tried to compose her self a bit, before she dared to answer.

„I tried."

She carefully touched her wrists and hissed in pain again.

„One of his murders tried to force me to loose my grip on him as he wanted to run, but I haven't..."

Ursa's tears ran stronger, while she got down beside Azula to stroke over Zuko's cold face.

„I couldn't protect him, but I could stop one of his murders from escaping..."

Azula shared painful looks with Ursa and her dead brother, still clawing herself at Zuko's body.

„They should burn, Azula. All of them. Everyone who has taken part in this."

Ursa's voice was filled with a burning hate and even whly trembling badly and being choked by tears, her daughter could hear this deadly cold in it.

„He should burn for this, for what he has done to you too. And he will, even when it'll cost my last breath, my last drop of blood. He. Will. Burn."

Azula stared at the burning fire in the golden eyes of her mother, a fire fueled by pain and hate. A fire she felt burning in her too. Ursa carefully wrapped her arms around Azula and the former Princess stiffened instantly, but also didn't wind herself out of her mothers arms.

„He won't take you away from me again. I'll not loose my other child at him. He'll curse the day as he dared to lay hands on you. I won't fail again."

Azula kept staring with open mouth at her mother... and finally she let her self falling in her arms, crying out her grief together with her. Azula pressed herself close to her mother and her voice was still tear-soaked, as she whispered in Ursa's ear.

„They'll burn. I'll hunt them. Find them. And then they'll burn. All of them. You'll be proud of me, mother."

She felt Ursa's grip tighten around her daughter.

„I am proud of you, Azula. I always was."

Azula sobbed harder, burring her face at the crook of Ursa's neck. Her mother started to stroke her child's hair.

„And you'll not be alone at this hunt. I'll be at your side. I'll train."

Azula was staring at her mother with open mouth again, but the determent fire in Ursa's eyes only burned stronger and stronger. She only nodded at Azula.

„Today is the time to grief, but tomorrow my child, we'll prepare for a hunt. They'll pay the price for killing him. He'll pay for this."

She gave Azula a smile and stroke carefully over her cheek.

„He'll pay for everything..."


End file.
